Principles of Reading Vowel Digraphs

1) The 1st letter is read in its primary long meaning: sea [i:], oak [əυ], etc.;

2) The 2nd letter is read in its primary long meaning: neutral [u:], either [aı], etc.;

3) Two letters are read in their primary short meanings, forming a diphthong: beige [eı], they [eı], boil [ɔı], oyster [ɔı];

4) One of the letters is read in its primary short or secondary meaning: aunt [ɑ:], theory [ıə], etc.

 

 

Ex.1 Read the following words with digraphs ei|ey. Identify the sound of each line.

[ ] 1. beige, deign, heinous.

[ ] 2. either, seismograph, deictic.

[ ] 3. seize, inveigle, ceiling, receive, deceive, conceive, perceive.

[ ] 4. heir, heiress.

[ ] 5. leisure, Leicester.

[ ] 6. counterfeit, sovereign, foreign, surfeit, forfeit.

[ ] 7. eight, freight, neighbour, weight, sleigh, weigh.

[ ] 8. height, sleight.

[ ] 9. they, survey, grey, obey.

[ ] 10. eyrie.

[ ] 11. key.

[ ] 12. monkey, money, whisky, hockey, trolley.